25 Days of Christmas - #12: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

Over the years, there have been countless Star Wars games. They span across virtually every system, and most of these titles are centered around allowing the player to wield lightsabers and use the force. And while the jedi way is certainly a core aspect of Star Wars, there are many other stories that make up the universe that George Lucas created. One of the most famous groups in the Galactic Civil War is the Rebel Alliance’s ace pilots that make up Rogue Squadron.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron was released in 1998 for the PC and N64. The N64 game is the version I own, and I must say it is one of the most fluid and intuitive flight games ever released on any system. While Star Wars: X-Wing and Tie Fighter paved the way for space-bound dogfights, Rogue Squadron perfected them. Using different trigger combinations to pull off barrel rolls and arcs made maneuverability easy. Players were given a great deal of freedom in how they wished to deal with enemy fighters and turrets, but were also required to be wary of their secondary ammo supply.

The story follows Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, the two most prominent members of the squadron, as they carry out various mission set in-between the films of Episodes IV, V, and VI. Other members of the squadron make appearances as well, including Wes Janson, Hobbie Klivian, and Zev Senesca. General Reikan provides briefings of each mission, and will reprimand players if things start to go sour. Each of the respective voice actors did a brilliant job in making these characters come to life. No single character in the game feels bland or one-dimensional.

Early missions have Luke and Wedge doing routine flight patrols and then encountering and subsequently destroying Imperial forces. These early missions are set up as tutorials, and aren’t meant to be anything special. But once Moff Seerdon (the main antagonist of the game) comes into the picture, the story really picks up in pace. Each mission is set on a different planet (with the only exception being two missions taking place on Kessel), and each is unique in design and mission objectives. On Gerard V, players must defend a city as the most skilled TIE Interceptor squadron - led by Kasan Moor - takes on the Rebels. On Chorax, players must navigate foggy canyons in search of the Nonah, a ship that crashed on the planet. On Fest, the Rebels must take down a shield and destroy AT-AT walkers as they attempt to free prisoners.

The soundtrack is classic Star Wars, strongly influenced by the original trilogy. Still, it adds a little flair of its own and sets itself aside as a separate soundtrack. The graphical capabilities of the N64 really shine in this game. The lighting effects are top-notch, and players will notice how the shadows move seamlessly as their X-Wing tilts towards or away from light. Engine exhaust flares up as the boost is activated, and blaster fire spreads outwards slightly as it makes contact with a target.

The variety of ships available to pilot is impressive, and includes not only classics like the X-Wing, Y-Wing, and A-Wing, but includes the V-Wing, a ship that is used more heavily in the post-Imperial years. The Millennium Falcon and a TIE Interceptor are unlockable as players meet certain achievements in missions. The inclusion of a cheat code system allows players to unlock the N-1 Naboo Starfighter, a 1969 Buick Electra, and even a minigame that puts players in control of an AT-ST “chicken” walker. Extra missions could also be unlocked, including the classic battles of Hoth and the Death Star trench run. Other extras include a theater mode in which players can view the various cutscenes in the game, and a music hall wherein players can listen to any given song from the soundtrack.


Star Wars: Rogue Squadron allowed players to step into the cockpit of an X-Wing and take on Imperial forces in an engaging and challenging way. The game covers some key moments for the Rebel Alliance not covered in the films, including the retrieval of Crix Madine on Corellia and the defection of ace pilot Kasan Moor. The game encompasses a large timespan, but still leaves enough material to be covered in two sequel games. Rogue Squadron pushed the capabilities of the N64 to the limit and was a fantastic achievement for parent company Factor 5.